, 1887-11-09

WOulu DO IHDOSSlUl6 10 pfOuucc ~ cUtOuS-
er proof that objections TO lockage are
purely imaginary. Ei
The Nicaragua canal will have only
eight feet more of summit, and the cGnali-
{ cation as now located is only thirteen miles
longer than tho Caledonia canal. The
saving in length of voyage by passing
through it will not be hundreds but actual
X thousand of miles in distance, and
Through stormy seas. There is no canal
in our country that will compare with that
location in the two points mentioned
abundant water supply and immunity from
injury by floods.
The commercial loss upon a vessel pas
sing through a canal with locks, such as
the Caledonia, is the time lost i'll lockage
and the tolls paid. The time required in
lockage through tue Caledonia Canal,
having a summit only eight feet less than
that ofthe Nicaragua Canal is probably dou!
BILE that which will be required in Nicaragua.
IN the Caledonia Canal the locks have ten
feet, or less, left; in the Nicaragua Canal
the. minimum lift is twenty four feet and
The locks will be provided with the best
modern appliances. 1t is safe to assume
that vessels will be passed through the
locks of the Nicaragua Canal in less than
one.half the time now required on the
Caledonia Canal, saving to vessels pas.
sing throgghtit twenty times the distance
saved by passing through the Caledonia
Canal. In addition tOVhe saving of time
and distance, vessels passing through
the canal are benefited by getting rid OF the
sea grass and barnacles which fasten upon
them during a long sea voyage, and by
decreasing speed and increasing consump.
ton of fuel entail a greater direct pecunl-
airy loss than the cost of the tolls without
reference to the saving Of time III using
the canal.
The economy of the construction of q
lock canal consists i'll making 1t with a
minimum of labOur, the excavated mate
rial on one section perhaps serving to
make a fill in another, and the locks rails
ing the water in the canal above the natu-
raj line Of drainage prevent damage by
floods, involving far greater cost than
that of constructing and operating locks.
AS for the traffic that will pass through
the canal, it will be something marvel
lous. A few ship loads of Oregon spar
timber now find their way from the West
coast around Cape Horn to Europe and to
some of our eastern ports. 1t will hardly
be regarded as an exagge1atiOn by those
who know that State, and indeed the ter.
ritory as far north and west as a large
part of Alaska, and the immense amount
of yellow cedar of that region and the de-
mands of Europe for lumber of any kind,
to assert that fifty %shiplOads OF lumber
from the west will pass through the
canal as soon as the water way is
opened for every one that now passes
around Cape Horn. There is no sGch
lumber known for quantity and quality as
abounds in that region. The yellow cedar
especially, whether for the finest construction
or for common uses, is without al equal
as to the ease of working and durability,
and is very beautiful when dressed and
vanished.
The grain trade would now amount to-
something over 100000 tons were the
canal operative, and will be constantly m
creaSing when an economic outlet is secur-
ed. The coasting trade, now cOnsidera-
bly, moro than one million of tons yearly,
would at an early date be many
times greater. The canal would be the
natural and advantageous route for all YES
sells from China, Manila and Japan to our
eastern coast and usually to European
ports, and the whole of the west coast
from Valparaiso n%orthward would find it
shorter and more economical than a Cape
Horn voyage. Briefly the traffic will be
so enormous, and will follow so promptly
the opening ofdhe canal, that the question
really will be how to Crovide for it i'll the
most ample %Cnanner, and that has been
done in charging greatly the proposed
prisms, providing the peans OF making
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